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Statement by Mutsuo Iwai, Senior Vice Chairperson of Keizai Doyukai on Announcement of PM Ishiba to Step Down as Party Leader
Mutsuo Iwai
Senior Vice Chairperson, Keizai Doyukai
- Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba--President of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party--has announced his resignation as a party leader, trying to prevent the division within the party after the review over the defeat in the last upper house election, which led to a minority government. We sincerely accept and respect his responsible decision.
- After the lower house election last year, the Ishiba administration has advanced key policy measures as a minority government, while maintaining ongoing dialogue with opposition parties. During Mr. Ishiba's less-than-one-year period in office, he has achieved certain results in the Japan-U.S. tariff negotiations, along with making efforts in crafting policies to establish Disaster Management Agency and in presenting policy measures with a focus on challenges in regional economies under the Regional Revitalization 2.0. We express our respect for this.
- The administration succeeding Prime Minister Ishiba must confront Japan's challenges, while preventing social fragmentation and the rise of populism. Specifically, the government must address domestic issues including rising prices, deepening labor shortages, increased domestic investment, and reforms in both social security and politics. Meanwhile, foreign policy should advance international cooperation amid growing global uncertainty. We urge the government to build bipartisan consensus over these key initiatives and to actively engage with opposition parties in policy debate during parliamentary sessions.
- Keizai Doyukai will continue to promote ongoing momentum of corporate wage hikes, and share its views and proposals, and support the government's policy implementation, over the issues such as real wage growth, regional revitalization, disaster preparedness, and robust economic security.
